The Salem Division of Southern Railway has achieved a significant freight milestone by recording the loading and movement of bitumen over a lead distance of 2,439 km, the longest freight lead handled by the division.
The record movement took place on June 3, 2026, when a container train carrying bitumen was dispatched from the Inland Container Depot at Irugur (IGCS) in Salem Division to Fatuha Container Siding (FCON) under Danapur Division of East Central Railway in Bihar.
The train comprised 45 containers carrying a total of 90 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) of bitumen. The consignment was loaded by the Container Corporation of India (CONCOR), Irugur, in association with Briskworld Ventures Private Ltd.
Freight movement generates ₹53 lakh revenue
The rake carried a chargeable load of 2,340 tonnes of bitumen and generated freight revenue of approximately ₹53 lakh for the Railways.
According to Southern Railway, the consignment marks the first outward container movement originating from Salem Division during the financial year 2026-27, creating a new record for the division in terms of lead distance.
Supporting infrastructure development in eastern India
The bitumen transported through the rail network will be used for road construction projects in Bihar and neighbouring states, contributing to regional infrastructure development.
Bitumen, a petroleum refinery by-product widely used in road construction, is sourced from the Irumpanam refinery in Kochi. The material was aggregated at the CONCOR terminal in Irugur before being transported by rail to Fatuha, with containerised road transport handling the first-mile and last-mile connectivity.
Railway-CONCOR collaboration drives container traffic
Southern Railway said the achievement was made possible through close coordination between its officials and CONCOR in promoting container movement from the region.
The successful movement highlights the growing role of multimodal logistics solutions in enhancing freight efficiency and expanding long-distance cargo transportation through the rail network.